Minecraft developer sued by aggressive litigator over DRM patent

Uniloc has sued nearly 80 other companies, including Microsoft, Sony, and Adobe.

Copy protection company Uniloc has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Mojang, the development company behind popular block game Minecraft. Uniloc claims that the Android version of Minecraft infringes patent number 6,857,067 describing a "system and method for preventing unauthorized access to electronic data."

Uniloc is a serial litigator that has filed lawsuits against nearly 80 companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, and Sony. The company contends that its suite of copy protection patents broadly cover common practices for digital software licensing, protection, and activation.

Mojang founder Markus Persson, also known as Notch, briefly discussed the lawsuit on Twitter and vowed to fight against it. He also published the full text of Uniloc’s filing, which indicates that the company is seeking damages and ongoing royalties. The filing erroneously calls Mojang’s product "Mindcraft."

"Unfortunately for them, they’re suing us over a software patent. If needed, I will throw piles of money at making sure they don’t get a cent," Persson wrote on Twitter. "Software patents are plain evil. Innovation within software is basically free, and it’s growing incredibly rapid. Patents only slow it down."

Uniloc has a number of licensees and has succeeded in winning settlement payouts from some of the companies that it has sued. Uniloc’s eight-year lawsuit against Microsoft ended in March when the Redmond giant agreed to settle under undisclosed terms.

A 2009 jury ruling found Microsoft guilty of infringing one of Uniloc’s patents and called for the Redmond giant to pay a whopping $388 million in damages. The 2009 damage computation was later thrown out by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in a landmark decision that eliminated the so-called 25 percent rule.

It’s worth noting that the patent at issue in Uniloc’s lawsuit against Microsoft was one that specifically focused on product activation, not the ’067 patent that the company is citing in its lawsuit against Mojang. Alongside Mojang, Uniloc is also suing Electronic Arts, claiming that the popular game Bejeweled 2 violates the ’067 patent.

Both suits have been filed in the Eastern District of Texas, a court system that is often sought by major patent litigators due to the perception that it tends to be more favorable to plaintiffs in patent disputes.

Everyone knows and agrees software patents are harmful to innovation.The EU has made sure there will be no software patents there.

The only people benefitting are the so-called "investors" who pile dollars,buy patents, and then sue real people. The trolls (non-practicing entities)are harming the progress of the workers (practicing entities).

When the fuck are we going to reform this tardo patent system? I remember essays about it killing innovation and productivity in software 20 years ago. It's actively destroying jobs and stifling innovation, why isn't anyone calling that out?

It's time to end software patents altogether. If you cannot build a physical product, it should not be patentable.

Strictly speaking, nothing prevents me from making a completely physical implementation of a computer... it would merely be ridiculously large, prohibitively expensive, etc.

The problem is that these patents aren't on specific inventions, they're on all possible inventions that do a certain thing (more specifically, all possible implementations of an abstract algorithm... and abstract algorithms fall squarely in math territory)

For instance, Edison patented his light bulb, but that didn't stop other people from making light bulbs in other ways. The typical software patent would be akin to something like "generating illumination from sending electric current through a medium", which basically covers all light bulbs ever designed (Even though incandescent and fluorescent bulbs are significantly different).

Since when have silly things like foreign sovereignty ever stopped those b--tards? The nation started out by trampling over rights of a foreign nation; and they continue to feel the world owes them favours.

Seriously, they have no integrity, no honesty, and no honour. It's no surprise that they expect other countries to bend to their will; their arrogance shines through everything they do. "Fighting for freedom" by enslaving another country; "Fighting for democracy in other countries" - as long as they do and say what the US tell them. "Protecting the world" by declaring martial law in other countries. "Making all men equal" by ensuring the rich control the market, the government, international policy, and the court system.

If you're different, watch out. The United Corporation of America will come for you. Just pray they only attack your wallet and leave most of your flesh on your bones.

Because Mojang allows the sale of Minecraft in the USA, so they are subject to USA laws.

I'm sorry but that's bullsh-t. American products can be bought in Iraq, China, and even India - you just need an internet connection. Should America be held responsible for Chinese laws? How about Muslim law - many CEO's of companies that produce American products for women would be decapitated and worse if that were the case.

But you can't hold the 'merkins to their own standards. Oh no, that would be wrong.

Since when have silly things like foreign sovereignty ever stopped those b--tards? The nation started out by trampling over rights of a foreign nation; and they continue to feel the world owes them favours.

Seriously, they have no integrity, no honesty, and no honour. It's no surprise that they expect other countries to bend to their will; their arrogance shines through everything they do. "Fighting for freedom" by enslaving another country; "Fighting for democracy in other countries" - as long as they do and say what the US tell them. "Protecting the world" by declaring martial law in other countries. "Making all men equal" by ensuring the rich control the market, the government, international policy, and the court system.

If you're different, watch out. The United Corporation of America will come for you. Just pray they only attack your wallet and leave most of your flesh on your bones.

Uniloc was founded in Australia and is currently located in Luxembourg. But I don't suppose you want to let the facts get in the way of a completely off-topic diatribe.

What distinguishes this patent from any other online verification used in old online games like ultimate online made four years before the patent filing? Access to local content like the graphics data only occurred if you logged in. Or is it sufficient that they just say "on a mobile device " and suddenly it's a valid patent? But seriously mobile devices are full blown computers just an iteration smaller.

Since when have silly things like foreign sovereignty ever stopped those b--tards? The nation started out by trampling over rights of a foreign nation; and they continue to feel the world owes them favours.

Seriously, they have no integrity, no honesty, and no honour. It's no surprise that they expect other countries to bend to their will; their arrogance shines through everything they do. "Fighting for freedom" by enslaving another country; "Fighting for democracy in other countries" - as long as they do and say what the US tell them. "Protecting the world" by declaring martial law in other countries. "Making all men equal" by ensuring the rich control the market, the government, international policy, and the court system.

If you're different, watch out. The United Corporation of America will come for you. Just pray they only attack your wallet and leave most of your flesh on your bones.

Uniloc was founded in Australia and is currently located in Luxembourg. But I don't suppose you want to let the facts get in the way of a completely off-topic diatribe.

Not like they are being sued in the USA, by the USA arm of Uniloc, using USA laws... no sir.From the actual court document: "Uniloc USA, Inc. (“Uniloc USA”) is a Texas corporation with its headquarters and principal place of business at Legacy Town Center I, Suite 380, 7160 Dallas Parkway, Plano, Texas 75024. Uniloc USA also maintains a place of business at 315 North Broadway, Suite 307, Tyler, Texas 75702."http://notch.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mojang.pdf

The company contends that its suite of copy protection patents broadly cover common practices for digital software licensing, protection, and activation.

The company's own words pretty much destroy its attempt at enforcing a patent. Patents MUST be specific implementations, not broad, general descriptions of common practices. But the lawsuit is sure to be very expensive, both in terms of time and money. It's obvious why some companies will settle, rather than litigate this to its eventual conclusion.

Because Mojang allows the sale of Minecraft in the USA, so they are subject to USA laws.

I'm sorry but that's bullsh-t. American products can be bought in Iraq, China, and even India - you just need an internet connection. Should America be held responsible for Chinese laws? How about Muslim law - many CEO's of companies that produce American products for women would be decapitated and worse if that were the case.

But you can't hold the 'merkins to their own standards. Oh no, that would be wrong.

Uh, yes, Americans operating in China, Iraq and India are subject to those countries' laws. Americans operating in European countries are also subject to those countries' laws. And companies that operate in the US are subject to US law. Fucking duh?

Follow the money. These Texan lawyers are in someone's pocket, no doubt. It is yet another shameful blemish on this out of control patent litigation system that one state could be seen as 'more favorable' to patent trolls; this is essentially showing the that the legal system has cut holes in their blindfold and are anything but objective. Checks and balances on the checks and balances, ad infinitum; forget the fruit, it's the soil the tree grows in that's rotten. One can hardly blame scumbags for seeing all the angles because that is simply what they do. Not to get too far off-topic or start some kind of patriotic flamefest, but the US is really screwing the world up. History will not be kind to their last ~40 years.

Since when have silly things like foreign sovereignty ever stopped those b--tards? The nation started out by trampling over rights of a foreign nation; and they continue to feel the world owes them favours.

Seriously, they have no integrity, no honesty, and no honour. It's no surprise that they expect other countries to bend to their will; their arrogance shines through everything they do. "Fighting for freedom" by enslaving another country; "Fighting for democracy in other countries" - as long as they do and say what the US tell them. "Protecting the world" by declaring martial law in other countries. "Making all men equal" by ensuring the rich control the market, the government, international policy, and the court system.

If you're different, watch out. The United Corporation of America will come for you. Just pray they only attack your wallet and leave most of your flesh on your bones.

Uniloc was founded in Australia and is currently located in Luxembourg. But I don't suppose you want to let the facts get in the way of a completely off-topic diatribe.

Not like they are being sued in the USA, by the USA arm of Uniloc, using USA laws... no sir.From the actual court document: "Uniloc USA, Inc. (“Uniloc USA”) is a Texas corporation with its headquarters and principal place of business at Legacy Town Center I, Suite 380, 7160 Dallas Parkway, Plano, Texas 75024. Uniloc USA also maintains a place of business at 315 North Broadway, Suite 307, Tyler, Texas 75702."http://notch.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mojang.pdf

Now, help me out here, where is Texas?

You are seriously the dumbest person I've ever seen. Uniloc USA is a fully owned subsidiary of Uniloc Luxembourg, and controlled by Uniloc Luxembourg. It exists solely to own, license, and assert Uniloc's US patent portfolio. But it serves at the discretion of the Luxembourg parent company.

Texas is in the United States.

The reason why United States laws are in play is because Uniloc owns a US patent and is claiming that Mojang infringed or contributorily infringed the patent by selling Minecraft within the United States. Whatever Mojang did outside of the United States will have little relevance to this suit. This is completely normal. American companies get sued in Europe and Japan over European and Japanese patents all the time, as long as they are selling allegedly infringing products in those areas. And it extends beyond patent law. If you sell a product in some country, and someone thinks it violates any one of that country's laws, then obviously you are subject to the jurisdiction of that country's courts.

I sometime marvel at how little the average lawyer knows about the internet, but people on the internet seem to think they understand law or lawyers.

Simple example: in every single court case that people bemoan and go "oh god lawyers are evil", there's another lawyer doing their job, trying to STOP the other guy. So it's "all lawyers that side with the things I disagree with are evil" which isn't a really coherent platform to adopt. It's like saying "anyone who plays sports other than the teams I happen to like is evil!"

Whatever your position here is, the generalities about a profession that necessitates that there be at least one of them on each side sorta makes the generalities apply to both sides-- including the one the speaker agrees with. This makes the diatribe hard to comprehend.

Software patents need to die a grisly death and then be cremated to make sure that they don't come back to life. Bottom line is that software patents (unless it is on a specific piece of software that you personally make) stifle innovation.

Why were software patents even allowed in the first place? I cannot think of a good reason!

Uh, yes, Americans operating in China, Iraq and India are subject to those countries' laws. Americans operating in European countries are also subject to those countries' laws. And companies that operate in the US are subject to US law. Fucking duh?

Mojang is a Swedish company that sells software in Sweden. I don't see what connection they have to the US, even if some of their customers use the internet to travel to Sweden.

Reading the summary of that patent. Isn't OpenID (powering like 99% of internet authentication through google/yahoo/facebook/etc. providers) in direct violation of it too? Those companies need to throw their weight here, and squash it, before it (potentially) gets reinforced here, setting a legal precedent.

Since when have silly things like foreign sovereignty ever stopped those b--tards? The nation started out by trampling over rights of a foreign nation; and they continue to feel the world owes them favours.

Seriously, they have no integrity, no honesty, and no honour. It's no surprise that they expect other countries to bend to their will; their arrogance shines through everything they do. "Fighting for freedom" by enslaving another country; "Fighting for democracy in other countries" - as long as they do and say what the US tell them. "Protecting the world" by declaring martial law in other countries. "Making all men equal" by ensuring the rich control the market, the government, international policy, and the court system.

If you're different, watch out. The United Corporation of America will come for you. Just pray they only attack your wallet and leave most of your flesh on your bones.

Looking at your comments, it seems most of the content you write are specifically anti-American rants and other things that can be classified as trolling. (just like your entire string of comments in this thread.)